Readers' comments

I have noticed for most of my life that giant companies frequently focus their attention on the wrong side of the equation. When revenues are down and money is tight these behemoths start to wildly cut spending. In these situations expenditures are not the problem lack of revenues are. In my humble opinion this is the time when these companies should be looking at ways to increase revenues not decrease expenditures.

Alternatively, when they are awash with money, they spend like "drunken sailors" to buy out other entities and even further increase their revenues. Again in my humble opinion I suggest that this is the time to be be watching ones outflow not focussing on increasing already bloated revenues.

Both their approaches lead to a cycle of loss and failure while the opposite approach would ensure continued success.

The truth be known, it is not just the behemoths that suffer from this lack of proper focus, it's all of us, even families and individuals. Why is it that we can't seem to see the folly of our ways?

Few things fade faster than fads. A respected and successful company launches an idea or insight and within a matter of days or weeks, it's being copied, improved upon and pirated. It's really part of our business culture, and happens on Wall Street,in Big Oil and other juggernauts. "Wonder what that s.o.b. knows that we don't" is the greatest spur to "innovation" as it comes out our B-schools and tame boardrooms..

Wouldn't be surprised if the next fad is for the steelmakers to own at least 40% of their raw material sources and trade on the spot market for the rest, with appropriate hedging. Net buyers of raw material have pioneered this approach in the past and will probrably dress it up again as the next management wave. I've lived through at least two.